Mary Ward JACKSON Bath St James Baptism 14/3/1821

[Gene2Bear]

Can anyone access the actual parish record? NOT the transcripts as I'm thinking (hoping?) there may be a mis-transcription in this record attached.

The Mary Ward Jackson we already knew about had these details:

Nov ? 1820      - Mary Ward JACKSON was born; Topsham, Devon, England  (2y4m at death in 1823)
07 Dec 1820    - Baptism; Topsham, Devon, England  (CERT dau of James JACKSON & Frances)
Mar 1823        - Mary Ward JACKSON died; Topsham, Devon, England
15 Mar 1823    - Burial; Topsham, Devon, England  (CERT 2y4m)

This 'new' Somerset Mary Ward JACKSON is born around the same time of the Topsham one… but given the dates and names I am wondering if the two Marys are the same and if she got Baptised twice….  (Subsequent siblings are bapt in Topsham)

The Topsham father of Mary Ward JACKSON, James Jackson is also a Royal Marine, who was resident at times in Bath as well as Topsham. His wife was born Frances WARD, dau of Samuel WARD and Mary ASHMEADE.

So just who are the Somerset Francis Jackson and Jane?
Is it ay all possible the transcription could be wrong and it’s meant to be JAMES (not Jane) and FRANCES (not Francis)?


A wild wild card I know, but stranger things have happened!!

Thanks
Clare in Oz

[Geoff]

Hi Clare,

I've had the same thing with one of my families, and what it turned up was that the baptism of their first child was recorded in another parish. Exactly the same details in a parish approx 30 miles from the one I found first.
This turned out to be the mother's home parish, apparently a second service was performed for the mother's family.

Would the second one you found have ties to either of the parents?

Cheers
Geoff

[DRH123]

Hi Clare

The source for the FreeREG entry was indeed an earlier transcript (as indicated by the "Tr" after the Church name). I have just checked and our entry accurately copies the one in that transcript but that does not of course rule out a mistake at the earlier copying stage. From the details you quote I would think it very likely that the parents should be James and Frances. I visit the Bath RO every few weeks and I'll check their microfiches of the original register next time I'm there.

David
(FreeREG assistant for the Bath area)

[Gene2Bear]

Thanks Geoff and David… such quick replies!

Geoff:

Yes indeed, the mother's family were very much part of the St James Parish, and that's why I thought it may be a special baptism for the grandparents as you suggested. Glad someone else was on the same wavelength!! Thanks for the support!!


David:

Thanks SO MUCH for the offer to check the Bath RO Microfilms for me, you are a gem! I do have the actual Devon Parish film copies for the other children. We are so spoilt these days with all the records online, that it is a bit of a letdown when absolutely EVERYTHING is not there!! 

I wonder if it would not be too much of an imposition for you to get me a jpg copy of the Mary Ward JACKSON entry when you check it, but also of the one for Sarah Miller JACKSON, attached.

She was a complete surprise to us and her forenames 'Sarah Miller' may confirm her Grandmother's identity in Devon.

I would be happy to make a donation to either FreeREG or the Bath RO if you let me know how…

I'm LOVING the FreeREG site, so a big bouquet to all concerned there! Thank you!

Clare

[DRH123]

There is a small error in Sarah's entry. It should be the 17th April.  Also the abode was No 7 Larkhall Place. (There is a bug in the present FreeREG software which causes it to drop the numbers out of addresses.)

David

[Gene2Bear]

Thanks so much for that, David! That's the address I have for her father James at that time from another source, so VERY promising indeed! :-)
Clare

[DRH123]

I've checked the microfiche at Bath RO now. It's rather poor quality but it does seem to have Francis and Jane.

It would be an incredible coincidence if there really was a Lt. Francis Jackson with wife Jane and a daughter Sarah Ward as well as a Lt. James Jackson with wife Frances and a daughter of same name and age. More likely is the original register entry was wrong. I suspect the minister or clerk misread his own notes, or misheard the names.

David

[Gene2Bear]

Thanks so much for the copy of the microfilm, David.

It would be an incredible coincidence indeed, and I have to agree that the parents names are most likely reversed... In fact, I could be pretty sure I've not come across a Francis Jackson RM At all in my stalking of James Jackson, and I'm pretty sure I would've noticed the name because my first son is called Francis!

So I think we'll take it as THE Mary Ward Jackson and forgive the curate's foible!!

Thanks very much,

Clare